Liquid-depth gage.



PATENTED APR. 14,

APPLGATILI..

HARRY E. DOBSON,

0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Patented April 'It/l,

Application filed Qeteber 3.3., 196?. Serial Ho. 396,990.

To all whom yit may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY E. Boisson, a citizen of the United States, end s, resident oi Manhattan borough, New York city, i county oi New York and State of .New York, have invented certain new and useful lmproveinents in Liquid-Depth Gages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to liquid depth gages, and it consists in providing a iloat with a suitable guide and binding device so that When the gage is vertically placed inv s. liquid contained by a vessel, lilre a barrel or tank, and to the bottoni of the vessel, float will rise to the level of the liq uid tl and will be held in that position by the b to the guide, so that when the gage i fr.. drawn from the vessel, the depth (and o sequently the quantity) of the lic l ceo be ascertained and indicated by a si lr on tile guide with which the latter is provided, and with. Whichthe float registers.

The object of the invention, is to enable a person to quickly determine the liquid cen tents ol a vessel of any sort having an opcning at the top through which the gage ,in be inserted endplaced verncally in the liquid and against the bottoni ol the vessel.

.i The nature and objects of the invention, will be more fully described in the following s ecilication, and especially pointed out in tile claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form 'a part of the speoiiication and in which, siinilar lettcrs refer to siniiler parts .througl'iout the several views.

In the drat rings :-Figurc l, represents the gage in front elevation and in position in a vessel conte." ng a liquid, and ot' which a poc tion is shown section that the opera A:on ot" gage can he better understood. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the gaffe with the float held in a fixed position to which it was elevated when it was put down into the vessel and its liquid contents, as seen in Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a vertical section of the gage showing its interior construction and the crank shaped binder rod which binds the lioat to the inner wall of the guide tube when manipulated by means of the lever mechanism on top of the gage. Fig. el, is a top view of the binder rod lever and cap ofgthe guide. Fig. 5, is a modification of theparts shown in Fig. 4, by the addition of a spring secured tothe binder rod lever which gives a spring pressure of the binder rod on the float. Fig. 6, is a horier and as ready for using the e. is s front view of the sleeve 'portion oi* Y d r leveryand Fig. 9, is a top viewv of lever. Fig. 10, is a vertical section of fied form of the idoat, as when roads hollow metallic construction, or the like. i the drawings: l he guide in the forni of a tube, and C, the ider rod, which ere the essentiel members e invention. The float may be of any ;`.-s.e'nfeolf rclatiivgel.,v M icific g 1.1i that oi the liquids that are to be meuf urcd by the gage, such as corli, Tfood or w,he .ve or else cf ine+P glass, or similar inateri ls, when made 1n the hollow form seen in Fig.' l0. The iloai'y ifa., provided with e perlora in its vertical through which the binder rod il, is loosely litted, th l the tloat may freely slid and the float is or ni reely move up and down Wi when the binder rod is centr tube. The binder l cranks C, C2, at its c and integral th 'ewith, and the axes ol hich eccentric located troni the axis of the trunnioned in qorru i bearings in the ao ci 'the tube B, respect ly, which are provided 'with such noshloncd bearings. In

n the tnoe, al Within is provided with i 1 bottom iz, the rod bea; rely a B3, in which the lower ci. l i

rod C, is iitted; but thc upper crank ioninal C1, is provided With sleeve D, 'which is iitted in the corresponding hole E, in the cao B', of the tube B, and the axis of which ho e is in line with that of the corresponding hole in the bottom B2, when the cap is properly adjusted on the tube B. The sleeve D, is of oblong shape at its up )er end D and fitted to a correspondingly s aped opening F, in the crank lever F', having the knohF?, by ineens of which the lever 'and rod C, may be actuated, when desired. The lovvcr portion D2, oi the sleeve D, has a slot D, across its surface, like that in a screw head and into which the crank portion C', of the binder rod C, lits so that When the sleeve is rotated A, represents the float; sv

' contents X,

in the cap B', by the lever lt", it will carry 'the rod with it, thus causing the rod to vpress the yiioat A, against the wall of the tube, B, so as to hold it in a tixcd position therein. The ca B", is internally threaded to lit the threaded end portion B, of the tube and thereby-secure it thereto, and is provided with a screw G, fitted thereto and which asses throu h a corresponding hele4 B, in the wall of t ie tube B,l to keep the crank bearing of the rod C, in true axial line with the crank bearing in the bottom B2,.n{hen the cap is adjusted on the tube. "he cap is made in this way that the parts maybe separable, and the from the tube.. The rod C, is flexible lon account of its, slenderness, but excessive rotation within the ttube is prevented by means of limiting pins ll, ll which are secured in the cap for this pur ose and which limit the sweep of the lever l*l in each direction to the pro )er extent. rlhe upper end Ca, of the rod C, is threaded to tit the nuts l, l', which when screwed down thereon with the sleeve D, and lever Ilt", in msition thereon,- cause the crank portion of the rod, C, to become drawn upwardly against the sleeve and the latter with the lever' against they lower nut l, and thus binding the parts securely together, the top nut l', merely serving as a cheek-nut against any possib e acci d'ental unscrewing of the parts, or loosening of -the connections. This construction also gives a firm and secure hold of the lever mechanisnron the binder rod when the parts Iare fastened together, while admitting of their being separated, when required.

A ring J, is shown as seeured to the lever l1., in F ig. 5, and its free end J", being in contact with the limiting pin H2, in the cap B', which arrangement gives a spring tension in one direction of the, rod (l, against the float A, and pressing the latter against tube, sidewise. When the s ring is attached to the lever in this way, t ie lever is held backwardly against the spring by the thumb of the user of the device who holds the tube in the hand with the lingers around it and the thumb on top of the knob holding the lever back with the thumb, and the cap uppermost. ln this osition, the gage can e then placed in t ie vessel V, and its liquid against the bottom V, of the The main portion of the rod t. will then be central within the tube, and the tloat ean rise upwardly by the buoyancy of the liquid upon the tloat to the surface level X', of the liquid and thenwhenat rest the ,thumb releases the spring pressure on the lever, and the latter presses the rod and float against the tube and holds it there, and the gage can be withdrawn from the vessel and the depth of the liquid therein, asceraiinalbyinitiinr;theg t ith reference to the bot vessel.

tloat and rod removable as bearing only manner, (that is, without cated on the scale K, which is graduated on the'oultside of the tube B, for the purpose, the lower edged?, of the float registering with thegraduation marks, and being visible through the slit L, which extends nearly the entire length of the tube. The bottoni A,

of the float is made convex, to compensate for its weight and displacement of the liquid, so'the registering edge A2, will been the top level of the liquid, latter when the gage is withdrawn from the -vessel and examined.

The lever F,is shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, against the outer portion B5, of the surface of tllie cap B', and thereby giving a spring tension bearing down against the cap so that when the device is made in. that the spring member J, seen in Fig. 5,) the lever is moved into position ineither direction by the thumb. alone,

and the friction of the leveragainst the cap being sutlieient to hold the parts in place and the lloat against theI tube, as already eX- plained, 'lllic spring )rineiple shown in lP ig. 5, can also be applietf to the bottom end of the'rod as well 'as to tta` top end, by a suitable lever and spring construction, practically of the same orsimilar design, as can )e understood: and the bottom B2, can be detaehably seeured to the guide B, by the screw The particular forni of construction shown and described in the drawings and specification, can ln\-ii\oditied, as een be understood, without departing from the. scope of this invcntion; therefore the tloat. the guide, and the float binding member, can be made iu other ways than in the form shown, to meet any specialapplications re uired. The parts can be made of any suitab e materials 'other than of metal, as is represented in the drawings, and which can also be understood. The. gage can be ol any suitable length or dimenand thus indicate the guide the float dicate the position of the tloat when the dey vice is used; it eau also be seen that the rod C, acts as a guide for the float in its movement thereon; and that the tube and rod taken-together and combined, form the. binder mechanism complete.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the invention can be understood without further explanation, as it is only necessary to insert the gage vertically and downwardly, into the vesselv and the liquid to be gaged, until the. bottom of the gage rests on j the bottom of the vessel, while .hlding the d eviee in hand with the thumb resting von the cap againstthe lever knob which controls the biiuling rod, and keeping the lattercentralin l lio f tube until. the 'tloat 'rises to Apresses tbe float against the eide of the tube which tlierebr holds it there iixedly, on eooount ci tire iriotion of the lever against tbe top of the ce Gr if provided With the spring seen in. i* 5, the tension of tbe spring will continue the pressure of the rod against' atbe Well of the tube, when the 'lever is released by the thumb, end tbe binding eii'ect of tire rod on tbe iiont and tube time secured.

The gege can tiren be taken out tbe liquid and vessel,end tlie de til of tbe iiquid in the letter will be indicate by the distance of the tient Afrom the bottom of the gege, and by the register of'thefioet with the scale graduations. As the gage is teken out or the liquid, Whatever amount of the letter remains in the tube will @incid run beek into-the .vessel through the slit in the tube and the bolee in the bottom of it, thus leaving` it free rorn'tiie iiquid ertoe tingtbet Whioh adheres to gege which can 7e wiped or dried ofi, and Wnioli een be disregarded.

From the fore ning,` description, it cen be eeen that rovine e simple and complete device, and t iat it meets all the requnemente of snob en article. Y

Having time described my invention, what claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is a i. ine liquid de th gege, the combinetion of floot, a tu oler guide inoasing tbe ioat end'having e float observing slit end e graduated scale, and a. binder rod connected with the guide and piissingT through tbe float and ode ted to bind the float vagainst the Well of t 1e guide, substantially as described.

2. ln o. liqnid depth gege, the combine.-

tion of e iioet having e hole through its exis,

. iloet A,

'e tubular guide incaeing the iioet and pro vided With e float observing slit and graduated Scale, and a binder rod pessing through the hole in the iioat and its ende crank shaped end trunnioned in the end members of the guide and one end of which rod is provided with en eotueting lever end sleeve mechanism by which tbe iiont een be pressed iixediy against the inner weil of tbe guide, substantially ne described.

ln ai liquid depth gege, the combine tion of e; cylindrical floot having a, hole through its exis, e tubular guide incesing the float end provided with e tibet observing slit end graduated ecele e bottoni member end detachable loep nier'nber, and e binder rod having its ende crank shaped and trunnioned in the bottom end oep'mernbere of vthe guide end ite body portion extending througn tbe bole in the float, substantially as dee'cribed.

Li. in e1 liquid de tb gege, 'the combine.u tion of e i'loet, a. gui e, end e binder'rod con-- neoted with the iioet and guide and provided with e spring tension lever nieoneniern by which it cen be eetnnted ond the iioet een be held iixedly et different poeitione along' tile guide, substantially es described.

5. float rod binder i'or o liquid depth gege, consisting of the body portion @and crank end portions C", C, the slotted sleeve D, and actuating lever F', substentinliy es described. v

6. A li uid depth geve, consisting oi the t ie guide tube ri, rod C, and lever F, combined and constructedSubstantially as described.

Signed et New York cit T, in tlie county oi' New York and State of l ew York, this 7th dey of October A.. D. 1907.

HARRY E. DOBSON. lNi tneseee:

Joini F. Coriii'nui., XV. E. Soo'r'r. 

